Caught Up in the Rapture

Rating:
Summary: you go girl!
Review: First let me say that I almost got tired of waiting for this to come out. But it was worth the wait! I am totally impressed with Miss Riley as an author! The love scenes in this book are even hotter than those in her first book. I have to disagree with those reviewers who didn't like this story-- it may not be an original storyline but Miss Riley certainly put her own twist on it. Tracy and Jack are wonderful characters and Miss Riley has once again shown some insight into the dynamics of interracial dating. The thrill I got from the storyline of Tracy and Brian in AT LAST is most definitely repeated here. I like it-- I love it! and I say that no matter what the naysayers write... YOU GO GIRL! (also I cannot see anyone reading a book they didn't like no matter how much they paid for it-- couldn't you just take it back and get a refund or a credit or something?) I am waiting for the next book, Miss Riley. Keep them coming.


Rating:
Summary: Caught Up, Indeed
Review: Flowing storyline + well-developed characters + steamy sex + humor + tension + intelligent, informed dialogue = a book that's difficult to put down.

Rating:
Summary: CAUGHT UP IN THE RATURE
Review: GREAT READ!!! LISA RILEY HAS SURPASSED. I COULD NOT PUT THIS BOOK DOWN. I LOVED THAT WE COULD KEEP UP WITH CAROLINE AND BRIAN. I LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING IF JACK CATCHES BRICKMAN.

Rating:
Summary: Disappointed
Review: I rarely write reviews unless I feel strongly about the book. Clearly, I'm one of the only people that found this book disappointing. I was impressed with Ms. Riley's first book and looked forward to this one. In "At Last," my impression of Tracy and Jack was very different. I found her to be superficial and weak and the reason for Jack's obsession with Brickman just didn't feel strong enough to illicit it. Also, I felt that they hi-jacked Caroline and Bryan's story. I found myself reading through the book just to find out more about Caroline and Bryan.

I really did want to like these characters, but they kept irritating me. At one point, I vowed to stop reading if Tracy used the French pronunciation for Jack's name one more time. Tomato - Tomateo, I guess.


Rating:
Summary: Awesome Sequel
Review: I thought that Brian and Caroline from At Last (the first book) were a great couple, but I instantly liked Tracy and Jack. From the beginning of the book their romance was hot!!!! The character development was great, and the romance was believable. Tracy and Jack clicked almost instantly, and when they did have problems in their relationship it was problems that were believable and easy to accept. This book was just great and anyone who likes this genre should definitely read it. This book will not disappoint. It was a bonus that Caroline and Brian were in this book as well. Ms. Riley did an excellent job, and like everyone else I hope that a third book will be available very soon!

Rating:
Summary: This Reader Was Not caught Up
Review: Imagine eating cardboard covered in your favorite sauce. Well that's how I felt after having read Caught up in the Rapture. It held all the ingredients for a great story; but just wasn't entertaining enough. However, if you're a fan of At Last, you'll probably enjoy it for the author did focus quite a bit on the two main characters from that story. In fact, I think I had more interest in their story than I did that of Tracy and Jack, the two featured players in Caught up in the Rapture.

Tracy and Jack meet in Paris, where they develop a relationship that is not only short and sweet, but intimate as well. It all started when Jack came to her rescue in a restaurant when she was having communication problems with the owner. He was immediately fascinated by her and more than happy to translate for this woman who seemed capable of speaking every other language except French. During the rest of her stay in France, Tracy and Jack decided to spend one night of pleasure together. This turned out to be no big thing for Tracy because she knew once she left Paris, there was no chance of her ever having to see him again. Right? Wrong, for after returning home to the states they both discover they share mutual friends. In addition, the French guy Tracy thought she had slept with turned out not to be French, but American.

So their unforgettable meeting in Paris would be just that because Jack will always be there in some form or another as a reminder. I guess your reaction would be "Great! It's more than obvious these two felt something for one another while together", but it's not that easy for Tracey. You see, Tracy, a black woman, has vowed to only hook up with a dark complexioned black man, which Jack, a white man, is not.

I found that part of the story to be the most fascinating for it tackles the caste system that still exists among some African Americans to this day. Although I looked forward to seeing how the author would handle this issue, she really didn't do enough on it. Tracy came from a long line of self- hating individuals who looked down on anyone darker than themselves. That's why Tracy was determined to go against her parents' wishes. You'd think they'd be happy to see her involved with someone white. What better way to keep that certain color going within the family, but they forbade her from getting involved with anyone white. This just goes to show how confused we as people really are. We really don't know what we want.

Added to the mix is Jack's father who turns out to be a closet racist, another problem I wish the author would have written more about. We don't even get to see his reaction to the news. Also in the story are Ida and the dastardly Brickman from At Last, who Jack is determined to bring to justice for his committed crimes of the past and present. Sounds like the perfect plot, but for some reason the story went flat.

I don't know. Maybe they had sex too quickly; perhaps there was too much erotica; or the author should have focused more on those issues of Tracey's and Jack's parents(excluding his mother, who turned out to be a wonderful person). Something about the story just did not grab this reader.

Still, I look forward to Riley's next venture. And I do plan to read the book a second time for maybe this reader missed something the first time.

Rating:
Summary: She's Done it Again
Review: Loved the book. I have one complaint, though. Why all the mystery concerning the female character's career? I mean, first she's an accountant, then she talks about starting a new business (and we have no idea what she's talking about) and finally she announces she's a housing developer. From accountant to housing developer? Huh? Not a logical leap if you know what I mean.

But despite this mistake, the book was still very good. I really enjoyed reading it and look forward to the next one.

Rating:
Summary: Don't waste your money
Review: Ok, so I tried to hold my tongue on this one but I clearly wasted my money. I should have known since "At Last" the first novel in the series was just as disappointing. After reading the many 5 star reviews, it makes me wonder exactly who wrote them. I wanted so bad to stop reading this book, but since I paid for it, there was no way in hell I wasn't going to finish it. I cannot even begin to explain my disappointment. If for some reason you desperately want to read this book, check with your local library or buy it used. Character development, what character development, not in this book. The only believable thing was the fact that they met while in Paris and they both happened to be from Chicago. (How funny) I'm usually never this harsh with my reviews, but the fact that the release of the book was pushed back several times, I expected much more. If you want a good interracial book that has a plot, someone believable, where the characters have there own lives, and there is more going on than the steamy love scenes, stick with the Sandra Kitts, and Karyn Langhorne.

Rating:
Summary: Great Book!
Review: This book was a wonderful read. It was my first time reading this author and I was impressed. The book has a good, if unoriginal, storyline. But there's almost no way to be orginal is this genre anyway.

I did, however, like the way the author handled the issue of race: that was original. I also like that she talks about the bombings from 9/11 and the present day and historical ramifacations of slavery and ties these issues into context. I thought the book was well written and the characters were well defined. There are funny, serious and dramatic moments in the book and visits from characters whom I guess are from another book, which I plan on purchasing. The book is more than a romance with the requisite boy chases girl and sex scenes.

Rating:
Summary: a really great story
Review: This story was really well written and I was hooked from word one. I enjoyed the first book "At Last" and it was good to catch up with Brian and Caroline. The relationship between Jack and Tracy was played out great and I found many of Tracy's issues regarding race to be realistic. The sex scenes were HOT!!! The problems in their relationship were related to her screwed up childhood and other than when these affected her, I often forgot that they were different races. The race thing was really secondary.

This book was great and I stayed up late to finish it.

Now as to why this great book only got 4 stars:

Tracy and Jack meet in Paris while she was there on vacation. It is way too much of a coincidence to believe that they meet like this, are both from Chicago, they have Brian and Caroline in common and that they meet again in Chicago.

Also, in "At Last", that couple was having a problem with a stalker that continues into this book. Jack was an investigator on this case and Tracy was tight with her friend Caroline. Unrealistic to think that Caroline never discussed Jack with Tracy and that Caroline did not recognize Jack as her friend when Tracy talked about him afer the vacation. Another hard to believe coincidence.

Also, I do not want to give any of the story away, but in this book, Jack and Brian- an ad agency exec- are totally involved in the police case. This was totally against any standard police procedures and so unrealistic that I often rolled my eyes about this and was distracted from the story.

Other than these issues and suspensions of believability, this book was a really good read. The chemistry between the characters was awesome.

Read this book!!